Concerns have been expressed over the impact of a gunpoint robbery against two US visitors, as Police remained tight-lipped about the investigation.

Two masked men broke into an East End guest house in the early hours of Tuesday, threatening and beating a man and his wife wife before making off with cash, jewellery and a digital camera.

The husband suffered fractured ribs and his wife suffered bruising to her face. Both were treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and flew home later that day.

Police have not named or identified the guest house beyond saying it is not in St. George’s. They have put more than a dozen officers on the case and stepped up patrols, but a spokesman said yesterday no update on the manhunt was available.

None of the east end guest properties contacted by this newspaper identified themselves as the target or would give the name of the venue affected.

St. George’s Mayor Mariea Caisey has described herself as “speechless” over the violent attack, speculating that the likely culprits are “sick people who will do anything for their habit”.

Yesterday, former Mayor and Chairman of the Department of Tourism E. Michael Jones echoed her shock, saying: “This is an absolutely horrifying and terrible incident.”

He said it came at a bad time with Bermuda being in the midst of an upswing in tourist numbers, and added: “Something like this does so much harm. The tourism industry as a whole is really aghast.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said incidents of crime on the Island are “getting worse and worse,” which could only be bad for tourism.

Highlighting the importance of neighbourhoods pulling together to combat crime, she said it was unfortunate Police are not identifying the venue targeted so people can take extra security steps.

US Consul Margaret Pride said the US Department of State would not issue additional safety warnings to US travellers to Bermuda at this point as the gunpoint robbery is viewed as a “one off” incident.

Gun crime is not mentioned on the travel section of the department’s website at travel.state.gov although it does note that Bermuda has a “moderate but growing” crime rate.